MSc

The study entitled “Nutrient profiling of insects as protein source for poultry
feed” was conducted at the Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture,
Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram during 2021-2023. The objectives of the study were
the evaluation of insects as an alternative protein source in poultry feed and the
development of insect-based feed for broiler chicken.
In this study, black soldier fly (BSF) maggots Hermetia illucens L., house fly
(HF) maggots Musca domestica L., rhinoceros beetle (RB) grubs Oryctes rhinoceros
L. and earthworm (EW) Eudrilus eugeniae K. were reared on cow dung and
groundnut cake mixture in a ratio of 4:1. The mean production of BSF maggots was
2.38 kg from 5 kg substrate which was significantly superior to HF maggots, RB
grubs and EW. Similarly, BSF had the maximum dry weight of 0.58 kg and the
highest dry matter recovery of 26.83 % which was significantly superior to all the
other samples.
Statistical analysis of the nutrient composition of different test organisms
showed significant differences between them. The crude protein content of the EW
(615.2 g kg-1
) was significantly superior to HF maggots, RB grubs and BSF maggots.
The highest carbohydrate content was recorded in RB grubs (257.3 g kg-1
) which was
significantly superior to all other samples. BSF maggots had a fat content of 300.1 g
kg-1
and it was significantly superior to HF maggots, RB grubs and EW. RB grubs
had 128 g kg-1 crude fibre which was significantly superior to all other samples
followed by BSF maggots (109.9 g kg-1
). The calcium and phosphorus content of RB
grubs was 29200 mg kg-1
and 11300 mg kg-1
, respectively and was significantly
superior to othersamples.
Due to the high dry matter recovery per cent and easiness in rearing, BSF
maggots were selected for the poultry feed trials. Poultry trials were conducted at
University Poultry and Duck Farm, Mannuthy in CRD design with six treatments
having varying levels of insect meal inclusion. Dietary treatments were given 5 %, 10
%, 15 %, 20 % and 25 % BSF maggot meal included poultry feed and control group
was given soybean meal-based poultry feed.
In the pre-starter phase (1
st week), the average weight of chicks in the group
fed with 15 % BSF meal included diet was 203.11 g and it was on par with the control
group (187.67 g). In the 2nd week (starter phase), the body weight of the chicks in the
treatment given soybean meal-based feed (533.67 g) was on par with that of the chicks
in treatment with 10 % BSF meal inclusion (500.22 g). During the 3rd week (starter
phase), birds in the control group weighed 998.11 g and was statistically on par with
the weight of the birds fed 5 %, 20 % and 10 % meal included diet. In the finisher
phase, the body weight of the chicks in different dietary treatments was statistically on
par.
The average feed consumption of birds in the treatments with 15 % and 10 %
BSF meal inclusion was 158.56 g and 152.11 g, respectively during the pre-starter
phase and was statistically on par whereas chicks in the treatment with soybean mealbased feed consumed 123.67 g feed. During 2nd week, chicks in the treatment given
standard broiler feed consumed 433.22 g feed which was significantly superior to the
other treatments. In the 3rd week, chicks in the dietary treatment with soybean mealbased poultry feed consumed 692.17 g feed and was on par with treatments having 10
%, 20 %, and 5 % larval meal inclusion. In the finisher phase, there was no
significant difference between the dietary treatments.
In the pre-starter phase, the feed conversion ratio (FCR) of the control group
(0.87) was on par with the treatment group with 15% meal inclusion (1.0). During the
starter and finisher phases, the FCR of different dietary treatments was statistically on
par. So, poultry feed can be effectively substituted with 25 % BSF maggot meal.
Analysis of the carcass characters revealed that BSF meal inclusion in poultry
feed did not affect the eviscerated yield, giblet yield, abdominal fat and ready-to-cook
yield. Livability was 100 % in all treatments with insect meal inclusion and no
disease was observed.
Economic comparison between BSF meal and soy meal-based poultry feed
revealed that the average feed cost of treatments with standard broiler feed (Rs.
172.18) was higher than treatments with 5 % (Rs. 162.97), 10 % (Rs. 151.31), 15 %
(Rs. 144.30), 20 % (Rs. 147.32) and 25 % (Rs. 139.69) BSF maggot meal inclusion.
The profit obtained from the treatments with 0%, 5 %, 10 %, 15 %, 20 % and 25 %
BSF meal inclusion were Rs. 299.45, Rs. 295.27, Rs. 294.87, Rs. 302.16, Rs. 288.47
and Rs. 288.59, respectively. The benefit-cost ratio of treatments with 15 %, 25 %, 20
%, 10 %, 5 % and 0 % maggot meal inclusion were 2.09, 2.07, 1.96, 1.95, 1.81 and
1.74, respectively.
The cumulative feed consumption and cumulative FCR of chicks from day-old
to 6th week in different dietary treatments did not differ significantly and the treatment
with 15 % BSF meal inclusion had high benefit-cost ratio. So, we can conclude that
soya meal-based poultry feed can be effectively substituted with 15 % BSF maggot
meal included feed in broilers. Thus, the results of the present study revealed that a
properly coordinated and centralized, BSF-based poultry feed unit can effectively
address the problem of rising feed costs in the poultry industry